{"id":24045,"date":"2017-08-24T02:48:44","date_gmt":"2017-08-24T08:48:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/138.197.203.170\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/"},"modified":"2017-08-24T02:48:44","modified_gmt":"2017-08-24T08:48:44","slug":"first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/","title":{"rendered":"First Look: POC Octal X Helmet Review"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/News\/2017\/POC_Octal_X\/P_10650_1206.jpg\" alt=\"P 10650 1206\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">We didn\u2019t purposely crash the Octal X\u2014like all brain buckets sold in the USA, it\u2019s certified safe by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. But we did put it through its paces, logging hundreds of miles of gravel and road riding throughout the Midwest, as well as hitting the rugged singletrack in Pisgah National Forest. There may have also been some urban bar hopping involved as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">At first glance, one might think there\u2019s little difference between the original Octal and the latest X version. Both have the same fully wrapped unibody shell and the large air vents POC is known for. But there are several noteworthy changes, such as the addition of POC\u2019s aramid bridge inside the helmet, that adds even more structural integrity and better protects against impact penetration. The helmet also extends lower than the standard Octal, protecting more of the rider\u2019s head.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/News\/2017\/POC_Octal_X\/IMG_2217.JPG\" alt=\"IMG 2217\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">POC also added a Recco reflector that can aid search-and-rescue teams finding riders lost or injured on the trail. (But before you buy it based on that feature, be aware that because it\u2019s a relatively new technology designed mostly for ski resorts, not all first responder units will have that search capability.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Our biggest disappointment was the lack of a MIPS liner to help prevent concussions, but POC is on the verge of introducing its own MIPS competitor called SPIN that could be included in 2018 models. A removable visor for mountain biking would have been nice as well, but that\u2019s not a deal breaker.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The Octal X is perfect for warm summer days thanks to its massive air vents\u2014we counted 21 on our size medium helmet. Because of the large vents, I constantly had bugs flying into the helmet. A bug screen could help, but that\u2019s a very minor gripe.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/News\/2017\/POC_Octal_X\/IMG_2243.JPG\" alt=\"IMG 2243\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The helmet fit perfectly thanks to a dial system that offered plenty of micro adjustments. It also weighs in at a mere 210 grams for a M\/L helmet, so your head and neck won\u2019t be sagging at the end of a long ride (or at least it won\u2019t be because of the helmet).<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The look of the Octal and Octal X is admittedly an acquired taste. I remember seeing the helmets for the first time on Slipstream\u2019s riders at the Tour de France years ago and thinking they were ugly. I was wearing one a year later. The only helmet we\u2019ve tried that we loved as much as it is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.specialized.com\/us\/en\/helmets\/sworks-prevail\/117060\" target=\"_blank\">Specialized S-Works Prevail<\/a>, which has a completely different look, but offers similar great ventilation and protection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The Verdict<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/product\/115109\/poc-octal-x-bike-helmet\" target=\"_blank\">Octal X<\/a> may be a bit pricey at $260, but given its impressive comfort and construction, it\u2019s worth the investment.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Light, incredibly airy and offering plenty of protection, the Octal X should be on the short list for any rider needing one helmet for multiple cycling disciplines.<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"author":299,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3297],"class_list":["post-24045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bike-helmets","article_category-fresh-gear","article_category-gear-review","article_category-home-page"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>First Look: POC Octal X Helmet Review | Gear Institute<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"First Look: POC Octal X Helmet Review | Gear Institute\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Light, incredibly airy and offering plenty of protection, the Octal X should be on the short list for any rider needing one helmet for multiple cycling disciplines.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gear Institute\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GearInstitute\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-08-24T08:48:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/P_10650_1206-1200x630.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mindshare Labs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gearinstitute\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gearinstitute\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mindshare Labs\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mindshare Labs\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c0215a9f739c6d5e1fe5adeafc2a7c12\"},\"headline\":\"First Look: POC Octal X Helmet Review\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-08-24T08:48:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/\"},\"wordCount\":465,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Bike Helmets\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/\",\"name\":\"First Look: POC Octal X Helmet Review | Gear Institute\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2017-08-24T08:48:44+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Biking\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/biking\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Bike Helmets\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/biking\/bike-helmets\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"First Look: POC Octal X Helmet Review\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/\",\"name\":\"Gear Institute\",\"description\":\"Find Expert Gear Tests\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Gear Institute\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Social-Logo-2014_Facebook.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Social-Logo-2014_Facebook.png\",\"width\":360,\"height\":360,\"caption\":\"Gear Institute\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GearInstitute\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/gearinstitute\",\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/gearinstitute\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/gearinstitute\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c0215a9f739c6d5e1fe5adeafc2a7c12\",\"name\":\"Mindshare Labs\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/mind.sh\/are\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/author\/mindshare\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"First Look: POC Octal X Helmet Review | Gear Institute","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"First Look: POC Octal X Helmet Review | Gear Institute","og_description":"Light, incredibly airy and offering plenty of protection, the Octal X should be on the short list for any rider needing one helmet for multiple cycling disciplines.","og_url":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/","og_site_name":"Gear Institute","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GearInstitute\/","article_published_time":"2017-08-24T08:48:44+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/P_10650_1206-1200x630.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"Mindshare Labs","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@gearinstitute","twitter_site":"@gearinstitute","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mindshare Labs","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/"},"author":{"name":"Mindshare Labs","@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c0215a9f739c6d5e1fe5adeafc2a7c12"},"headline":"First Look: POC Octal X Helmet Review","datePublished":"2017-08-24T08:48:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/"},"wordCount":465,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Bike Helmets"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/","url":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/","name":"First Look: POC Octal X Helmet Review | Gear Institute","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2017-08-24T08:48:44+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/first-look-poc-octal-x-helmet-review\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Biking","item":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/biking\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Bike Helmets","item":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/biking\/bike-helmets\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"First Look: POC Octal X Helmet Review"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/","name":"Gear Institute","description":"Find Expert Gear Tests","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#organization","name":"Gear Institute","url":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Social-Logo-2014_Facebook.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Social-Logo-2014_Facebook.png","width":360,"height":360,"caption":"Gear Institute"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GearInstitute\/","https:\/\/x.com\/gearinstitute","https:\/\/instagram.com\/gearinstitute","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/gearinstitute"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c0215a9f739c6d5e1fe5adeafc2a7c12","name":"Mindshare Labs","sameAs":["http:\/\/mind.sh\/are"],"url":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/author\/mindshare\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/299"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24045"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24045\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}